We Tested the Ninja Speedi — the Brand's Latest Steam Cooker

Tested by Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen

Over the past few years, the multicooker has become a staple in most home kitchens — and rightfully so. They utilize a number of functions to cook well-rounded meals in little time and with less cleanup than other kitchen appliances. The Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer is the latest innovation in this space. It's a countertop multicooker that easily prepares a complete, multi-textured meal in as little as 15 minutes, all in one pot, using 12-in-1 functionality including steaming and air frying at the same time. We tested it out, especially curious about the steam function, to see if it delivered.

What Is Steam Cooking?

Steam cooking has always been an effective method, but it’s trending once again for several reasons: less oils and fats are needed, it’s a relatively quick method compared to others (such as oven roasting), and even more importantly, steaming helps to retain key nutrients during cooking. We found the Ninja Speedi quickly created moisture with steam while caramelizing and crisping with air fry technology at the same time in one pot, creating delicious meals with little to no time or effort. Below, you’ll find how we tested the product and some additional pros and cons, to help you find out if the Ninja Speedi is right for you.

What Is the Ninja Speedi?

The Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer is a countertop appliance that allows you to cook a complete, multi-textured meal in as little as 15 minutes, all in one pot. It has a 6-quart capacity (meaning it can feed up to four people). It currently comes in the color “Sea Salt Gray,” and is made mostly of plastic but also has some stainless steel features on the front panel and lid. The interface is digital, making it very easy to toggle between the timing, temperature and 12 functions (In Rapid Cooker mode: Speedi Meals, Steam & Crisp, Steam & Bake, Steam, or Proof. In Air Fry mode: Air Fry, Bake/Roast, Air Broil, Dehydrate, Sear & Saute, Slow Cook, and Sous Vide). The Ninja Speedi does not pressure cook (unlike the Ninja Foodi). The product’s dimensions are 14.1 in L x 13.8 in W x 12.4 in H, and it weighs about 16 pounds, meaning it's not as cumbersome as other multi-cookers on the market. It comes with a 6-qt nonstick Cooking Pot and Multi-Functional Crisper Tray, as well as a user manual and recipe booklet with 25 recipes to get you started. The nonstick pot and crisper tray are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup quick and easy.

What We Tested

We performed a variety of tests to get a broad sense of the Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer and its many functions. These tests included the following: We air fried tater tots, steamed and crisped chicken wings, steamed and crisped salmon fillets, steamed cauliflower florets, and lastly, proofed, steamed and crisped pizza dough. Additionally, we tested a couple recipes from the recipe booklet, including Frittata-Lorraine and Parmesan-Chive Potato Wedges. Lastly, we did some side-by-sides to the Ninja Foodi, to see how the two products compared.

Air Frying

For the air fried tater tots, the manual recommends the “Air Fry” function. You can cook 1 pound at 360 degrees F for 19 to 22 minutes. It also suggests shaking, tossing and flipping often for best results. We found that the tater tots got very crispy and a deep golden brown by 18 minutes. We only shook the crisper tray once halfway through and had great results. Plus, no oil is required to achieve such a crispy texture; a win-win in our book.

Steam & Crisping Chicken Wings

For the steamed and crisped chicken wings, the manual provides instructions for cooking chicken wings (and most proteins) from fresh AND frozen, which we found very helpful. We cooked fresh chicken wings, seasoned with just salt and pepper, using the “Steam & Crisp” function. They cooked at 450 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. We found that they were very crispy and a deep golden brown. And as an added bonus, we didn’t even need to flip them! It also only took about six minutes for the steam to build, so it was very quick and easy to make these chicken wings. The chicken wings made in the Ninja Speedi had a crisper exterior compared to the Ninja Foodi.

Steam & Crisping Frozen Fish

For the steamed and crisped salmon filets, we tested four frozen salmon filets, about 6 ounces each. The Speedi recommended using the “Steam & Crisp” function and cooking with the Crisper Tray in the Elevated position at 450 degrees F for 11 to 15 minutes. What we found was very impressive! The fish was moist and the outside was perfectly golden brown (and not just on top, it was golden brown all over). We were very impressed by how nicely it cooked a piece of frozen fish. Again, much more successful in browning than the Ninja Foodi.

Steaming Vegetables

For the steamed cauliflower florets, we used the “Steam” function to cook the florets from one large head of cauliflower. We added 1/2 cup of water to the pot, inserted the tray in the bottom position, then added the florets. It cooked for 10 minutes. The cauliflower was not mushy or overcooked, and it was nicely tender! It would be an amazing, healthy preparation for a variety of fresh veggies.

Proofing and Cooking Pizza Dough

For the proofed, steamed and crisped pizza dough, we followed the instructions in the recipe book. There is a recipe in the provided booklet called Pizza Dough Pretzel Bites with Honey Mustard. The refrigerated pizza dough is proofed in the Ninja Speedi, then cooked using the “Steam & Crisp” function. We found the proofing function to work very well (the dough puffed and doubled in very little time because of the warm, tightly sealed environment), and the recipe was incredibly successful and delicious. They really tasted like homemade, baked pretzels! The steaming allowed the dough to cook through and stay moist, while the final crisp made them golden brown. We were very impressed by this recipe.

Steaming & Baking

Finally, we tried two other recipes from the booklet. We first made the Frittata-Lorraine to test the “Steam & Bake” function. This recipe required an 8-inch round cake pan. You whisk eggs, milk, cheese, ham, onion, dried thyme, salt and pepper together, then transfer to the baking dish. It cooks on “Rapid Cooker” and “Steam & Bake” for 10 minutes. We found that this particular recipe took a longer time to come to pressure before the cooking began — almost 20 minutes! This is because 1 cup of water is in the bottom of the pot, used to create enough steam to cook the frittata through. However, it was well seasoned and quite delicious. The eggs were a little overcooked but a very easy breakfast (or great meal prep option for a few days worth of breakfasts).

Steaming & Crisping Potatoes

The second recipe was Parmesan Chive Potato Wedges to test the “Steam & Crisp” function with a sturdier, long-cooking veggie, such as a potato. The recipe book instructs you to cut yukon gold potatoes into thick wedges, then toss them in a little oil, dried herbs and parmesan cheese. It cooks on the “Rapid Cooker” and “Steam & Crisp'' function at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes. We found this recipe to be incredibly good. We had to stop ourselves from eating them all in one sitting! The potatoes were creamy and perfectly tender on the inside, and very crisp and golden on the outside. Not to mention, the parmesan got all crispy and delicious. Yum! 10/10 recommendation.

What's the Difference Between the Ninja Speedi and Ninja Foodi?

Lastly, The Ninja Foodi and Ninja Speedi operate very similarly and are identical in a lot of ways, including their size and capacity. They also both have MANY functions; from Pressure Cook to Air Fry. However, we do believe the “crisping” capabilities of the Speedi are far superior (for example, the chicken wing test mentioned above). Food routinely got more crisp and golden in the Ninja Speedi compared to the Foodi, making for even more appealing food visually.

What Are the Pros and Cons of the Ninja Speedi?

After thoroughly testing the Speedi, as well as the Ninja Foodi, here are some of the pros and cons we discovered along the way.

Pros:

• The speed: It not only pre-heated quickly, but cooked many different foods at a rapid pace.
• The size and capacity were also ideal. It easily fits on a standard kitchen countertop and can be stored in pantries or cabinets with ease, thanks to its relative lightweight. The insert itself is also sizable and large enough to produce up to four servings of a well-rounded meal.
• The high number of functions: We loved the number of cooking methods you can use with this appliance, especially the steaming capability. It worked nicely with a variety of foods, which was more than desirable with today’s trend of steaming more dishes.
• Easy to clean. The nonstick pot and crisper tray are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup quick and easy.

Cons:

• The Ninja Speedi does not pressure cook. While we found this to be disappointing, mainly because the Ninja Foodi does have a pressure cook function, we did think the heating element that crisps the food in the Speedi is enough of a win to forget about the lack of pressure cooking.

Is the Ninja Speedi Healthy?

Simply speaking, yes, the Ninja Speedi can be used to make healthy foods. Steam cooking can be healthier depending on what you're making. Many vitamins and minerals found in vegetables can be lost with conventional cooking procedures, such as boiling and oven roasting. Steaming enhances vitamins such as vitamin B, thiamine, niacin, vitamin C, etc. Additionally, minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc are retained. However, it’s important to keep in mind that while it does offer healthier dishes and cooking methods, it can also produce unhealthy dishes as well, including the cheesy potato wedges we tested from the recipe booklet.

Who Should Buy the Ninja Speedi?

Overall, we would recommend the new Ninja Speedi for health-conscious individuals and families looking to quickly prepare meals and easily add more veggies to their diet. We also think the steaming capabilities are ideal for families who want to cook a more healthy diet. For example, you can steam a whole head of cauliflower in very little time, and you can cook a variety of well balanced meals (up to four servings), thanks to the recipe booklet and the “Speedi Meal Builder,” which unlocks thousands of customizable recipes with ingredients that are already in your fridge or pantry.

Recipes to Make In the Ninja Speedi

If you pull the trigger and purchase the Ninja Speedi, try these recipes from our own Food Network Kitchen. The first is Healthy Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs with Zoodles. You can steam the zoodles in the bottom of the insert, place the rack on top and place the meatballs, then use the Steam and Crisp function to create a delicious dinner for 2 to 4 people.

Another recipe to try is Air Fryer Chili-Garlic Tofu with Green Beans. Similarly, place the green beans in the bottom of the insert and tofu on top in the crisper tray. Steam and Crisp until the tofu is golden yet moist, and the green beans are perfectly steamed.

Lastly, try this recipe for Steamed Black Bean Spare Ribs. You’ll be delighted by the intensely savory flavor of these ribs, and they can be made entirely in the Ninja Speedi using the Steam function.